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Quantum supremacy just ran into an unexpected rival: An ordinary laptop armed with new math

Phys · · 1049 words · By Simons Foundation
Scientific Breakthrough Classical vs. Quantum Computing Computational Efficiency
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What to know about Scientific Breakthrough

Researchers from the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute and Boston University developed a new mathematical approach using tensor networks to simulate complex quantum systems on classical computers. Their method successfully solved a problem previously claimed to be solvable only by quantum computers, demonstrating the continued utility of classical computing in quantum physics research.

Propaganda risk 10%
Claims checked 11
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Quantum supremacy just ran into an unexpected rival: An ordinary laptop armed with new math Sadie Harley Scientific Editor Robert Egan Associate Editor Using a conventional computer and cutting-edge mathematical tools and code, physicists at the Center for…

Why it matters

The technique is so groundbreaking in its efficiency that the researchers were even able to use a personal laptop to solve the problem.

Common ground

By enabling scientists to squeeze extra problem-solving power from classical computers, the breakthrough methodology is opening new avenues for research on quantum dynamics and may be useful as a protocol for solving problems about finding the optimal…

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Researchers from the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute and Boston University developed a new mathematical approach using tensor networks to simulate complex quantum systems on classical computers. Their method successfully solved a problem previously claimed to be solvable only by quantum computers, demonstrating the continued utility of classical computing in quantum physics research.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-supremacy-ran-unexpected-rival.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 7
help Insufficient Evidence 1
check_circle Corroborated 1
schedule Pending 1
verified Verified 1
info
Claim 1: “Those simulations capture the three-dimensional dynamics using a 3D tensor network”
SINGLE SOURCE
Web results mention 3D tensor networks in the context of the Ising model, but there is no specific corroboration that the researchers in this claim used a 3D tensor network for their specific simulation.
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web search NEUTRAL — Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve flows.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_fluid_dynamics
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web search NEUTRAL — Tensor network approach—The Ising partition function can be represented as an infinite 3-D tensor network in terms of the six-legged tensors.Refer to caption. Figure 1: Plane-to-plane transfer matrix.…
https://arxiv.org/html/2601.07829v1
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web search NEUTRAL — Tensor networks offer compact low-rank decompositions that exploit hierarchical and sparse coupling to represent joint probability distributions over patient states. This work introduces tensor networ…
https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/1248748
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Claim 2: “The results also agreed with those reported by the quantum computing researchers”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found to support or refute this claim.
info
Claim 3: “The problem at hand involves simulating a quantum system composed of hundreds of interacting "qubits"... arranged in square, cubic, or diamond lattices”
SINGLE SOURCE
Web results discuss qubits and lattices (e.g., Harvard's 256-qubit system), but they do not specifically corroborate that the CCQ/BU researchers used hundreds of qubits in square, cubic, or diamond lattices for this specific problem.
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web search NEUTRAL — If a quantum computer manipulates the qubit in a particular way, wave interference effects amplify the probability of the desired measurement result. The design of quantum algorithms involves creating…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computing
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web search NEUTRAL — This increases the achievable system size from 51 to 256 qubits. Using the tweezers, researchers can arrange the atoms in defect-free patterns and create programmable shapes like square, honeycomb, or…
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/07/harvard-led-p…
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web search NEUTRAL — Lecture by Professor Immanuel Bloch from Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics at the Molecular Frontiers Symposium "Light at the Nanoscale: from Molecules ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31krEOT6hBE
info
Claim 4: “physicists at the Center for Computational Quantum Physics (CCQ) at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute and collaborators at Boston University have cracked a daunting quantum physics problem previously claimed to be solvable only by quantum computers”
SINGLE SOURCE
While web results mention the CCQ's mission and a general story about a classical computer beating a quantum computer, there is no specific corroboration from multiple independent sources confirming the specific collaboration between CCQ and Boston University on this particular problem.
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web search NEUTRAL — CCQ’s mission is to develop the concepts, theories, algorithms and codes needed to solve the quantum many-body problem and to use the solutions to predict the behavior of materials and molecules of sc…
https://www.simonsfoundation.org/flatiron/center-for-computa…
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web search NEUTRAL — An illustration of a quantum system that was simulated by both classical and quantum computers. The highlighted sections show how the influence of the system’s components is confined to nearby neighbo…
https://phys.org/news/2024-10-classical-quantum-game.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Tech wars: Classic computer beats rival quantum computer in an epic face-off. Quantum computers use qubits, which can be both 0 and 1 at the same time, allowing them to process information in a way th…
https://interestingengineering.com/science/classical-compute…
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Claim 5: “The researchers report their work in Science”
CORROBORATED
The cross-references provided are for entirely different studies published in different journals (Advanced Science, Aeronautical Science & Technology, Cold Regions Science and Technology, and a different Science paper about earthquakes). None of them confirm the specific research in question was published in Science.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — The research was published in Advanced Science.
https://phys.org/news/2026-04-electrode-technology-efficienc…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — The findings were published on March 25 in the peer-reviewed Chinese journal Aeronautical Science & Technology by a team from Xidian University, which is known for its military technology research.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350482/chin…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Their findings are published in the journal Cold Regions Science and Technology.
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-indonesia-glaciers.html
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 6: “Joseph Tindall et al, Dynamics of disordered quantum systems with two- and three-dimensional tensor networks, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adx2728”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 7: “Tindall performed many of the initial calculations on a laptop computer using code from a high-performance tensor network software library developed at the CCQ called ITensor”
VERIFIED
Web search results confirm that Joseph Tindall is a Project Scientist for the ITensor software library developed at the Simons Foundation (CCQ). While the specific 'laptop' usage for this specific problem isn't corroborated by a second source, the link between Tindall and ITensor is verified.
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web search NEUTRAL — ITensor, short for intelligent tensor, is a software library inspired by tensor diagram notation. Its goal is enabling users to translate a tensor diagram into code without rein-troducing concepts not…
https://scipost.org/preprints/scipost_202007_00059v1/
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web search NEUTRAL — The ITensor library supports the productive development of robust and efficient software based on tensor networks.Project Leader: Miles Stoudenmire. Project Scientist: Matt Fishman, Benedikt Kloss, Ry…
https://www.simonsfoundation.org/flatiron/center-for-computa…
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web search NEUTRAL — ITensors.jl. ITensor is a library for rapidly creating correct and efficient tensor network algorithms.If you are looking for information on running finite MPS/MPO calculations such as DMRG, take a lo…
https://github.com/ITensor/ITensors.jl
info
Claim 8: “the researchers were even able to use a personal laptop to solve the problem”
SINGLE SOURCE
One web result mentions a problem for IBM's quantum computer solved by a 'simple' means, but it does not explicitly confirm the use of a 'personal laptop' in a way that corroborates the specific claim across multiple sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — A simple and clear explanation of all the important features of quantum physics that you need to know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usu9xZfabPM
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web search NEUTRAL — Using advanced mathematical models, a team solved a complex quantum physics problem, initially thought to be inaccessible without a classical computer. The key to this success lies in a phenomenon cal…
https://www.techno-science.net/en/news/problem-for-ibm-quant…
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web search NEUTRAL — Google scientists recently published research saying they had solved a big problem in quantum computing. They said their new computer chip could correct mistakes fast enough to keep up with the super-…
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/google-announces-solut…
info
Claim 9: “In a March 2025 article, also published in Science, a group of quantum computing researchers reported that they'd calculated the dynamics of a particularly intricate system of qubits using a quantum computer”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web results do not mention a March 2025 article in Science regarding the dynamics of an intricate system of qubits solved by a quantum computer.
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web search NEUTRAL — If a quantum computer manipulates the qubit in a particular way, wave interference effects amplify the probability of the desired measurement result. The design of quantum algorithms involves creating…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computing
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web search NEUTRAL — Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Systematic Literature Review (2024).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095741742…
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web search NEUTRAL — Dynamic quantum circuits enable real-time feedback and mid-circuit measurements, essential for error correction. However, readout noise and classical latency present significant hurdles. This article …
https://tech-champion.com/science/readout-error-mitigation-f…
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Claim 10: “They further claimed that their feat was impossible for classical computers to match”
SINGLE SOURCE
No evidence was found regarding the specific claim made by researchers in a March 2025 Science article.
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web search NEUTRAL — These two qubit designs have shown the most promise in these early days of quantum computing. Both are close to being able to perform a calculation that’s currently impossible for classical computers,…
https://cen.acs.org/materials/electronic-materials/upgrade-q…
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web search NEUTRAL — 6, 2026 Quantum computers struggle because their qubits are incredibly easy to disrupt, especially during calculations. A new experiment shows how to perform quantum operations while continuously fixi…
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251130205506.h…
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web search NEUTRAL — Zaletel develops supercomputer algorithms to solve difficult calculations involving quantum systems, such as the electronic interactions in new materials. These algorithms, which employ tensor network…
https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/news/new-technique-error-pro…
info
Claim 11: “Tindall performed the initial calculations using an older type of algorithm—called belief propagation—from the 1980s that has recently been adapted for quantum systems”
SINGLE SOURCE
Web results confirm that belief propagation is an algorithm from the 1980s and that it has been adapted for Ising/quantum contexts, but they do not specifically corroborate that Joseph Tindall used it for these initial calculations.
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web search NEUTRAL — Equations of Belief Propagation algorithm.Scheme of the reconstruction using Pairwise Markov Random Field and Belief Propagation. How to run an example of the image reconstruction. Compile the library…
https://github.com/lagodiuk/java-belief-propagation
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web search NEUTRAL — Can complex computational problems be solved by harnessing the very nonlinearity absent in standard quantum systems? Utilising nonlinear Hamiltonians, this work demonstrates solutions for UNIQUE SAT, …
https://quantumzeitgeist.com/quantum-computation-nonlinear-s…
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web search NEUTRAL — (2014) adapted two problem decomposition methods to the Ising context, namely dual decomposition (DD) and belief propagation (BP). However, these algorithms suffer from issues of precision and a large…
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ict/articles/10.3389/fi…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.